Republicans warned House Bill 1310 and House Bill 1054 would make communities less safe, offered amendments that were rejected

Law enforcement, EMT, and local elected officials across the state are expressing their concerns with new police-related bills passed by Democrats this year and explaining how the legislation will jeopardize the safety of first responders, impact how calls for domestic violence and mental health are handled, and make communities less safe. These officials are sharing the real-world consequences of House Bill 1310 (Concerning permissible uses of force by law enforcement and correctional officers) and House Bill 1054 (Establishing requirements for tactics and equipment used by peace officers) being implemented. Both controversial measures passed on mostly party-line votes in the 2021 legislative session and go into effect on July 25.

House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox and Senate Republican Leader John Braun released the following statement today:

“It is clear that these controversial bills are jeopardizing the safety of first responders and the public. Officials are explaining how this legislation will negatively impact their communities and the media has done a great job of reporting on these issues. Republicans warned of these outcomes and offered amendments to these bills that were ultimately rejected by the majority party. Republicans also provided solutions in response to the state Supreme Court’s Blake decision that were turned down.

“We are calling on Democrats and the governor to push back against the ‘defund the police’ movement, come to the table, and work with Republicans and the law enforcement community on solutions that will address the problems created by their new policies. This needs to be done quickly before more harm is done to the communities and people we represent.”      

More information on these bills and others that threaten public safety.